Question About Ham Radio Postcards

I was in an antique store a few weeks back and remembers seeing a large stack of postcards from the 50's - 60's. They looked like some sort of response card with ham or short wave radio call signs on them.

I have no knowledge of that topic, so I'm not exactly sure what they were, but does anyone in the group collect these? Or, can anyone give me any more info about them. I'm sure if I go back, they will still be there.

If anyone does collect these, I would be happy to try and pick them up. Thanks!

Maybe you want to collect these...here is some information from (where else?) here:

http://goscf.com/t/12363

It includes a great explanation of how, and why, they worked.

Those are called QSL Cards, and I would definitely be interested, especially in foreign countries, as most of mine are U.S. of the 1960s and 1970s.

I am not sure if I have any QSL cards for ham radio operators, but I do have a lot of cards that the different CD radio operators made up in the 1970s.

Not sure if they would fall in the same line.

Chimo

Bujutsu

"Real" hams did not have much use for CB radio operators. Hams take a rigorous test to get their tickets, CB-er's don't. A lot of hams build their own stations and antennas, CB-er's don't. That's the general attitude, so I'm told.

Agreed.

It was rigorous training for a ham.

However, CB'ers took a lot of pride with their "QSL" cards and some were quite fancy. Having stated this, you would think that these cards are also a collectible item. maybe they have a market on their own??

I can't knock CB'ers entirely. It was through CB radio where I met my wife <G>.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Ages go, when I was a teenager, I used to do alot of shortwave radio listening. I sent away for QSL cards from stations like Radio Moscow, Radio Bulgaria, Radio Polonia etc. I've got a few still in the envelopes that they came in. They're an interesting part of my collection.

Bujutsu, you just gave me an idea. There is this older gentleman that lives in town and from what I'm told he used to be a school crossing guard. He has a MASSIVE ham radio antennae set up in, on and over his house and garage...and yard..lol I always was curious about him and if what your saying is true about Ham radio operators also being collectors too, then maybe it would behoove me to meet this man? I bet he would about stamp clubs and such? If he isn't then I at least make a new friend so win-win I guess? -Jeff

I would go for it Jeff.

Let's face it, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I know that somewhere in my basement, I have a shoebox full of cards used by CBers but not sure if I have any from bonafide Ham operators.

At any rate, as I stated before, you would think that these cards would be collectible like most other paper ephemera.

Chimo

Bujutsu

This might be the difference, and someone correct me if I'm wrong or out of date.

Hams are required to maintain a log of contacts, and the QSL card is proof positive of a bona-fide log entry. CB-er's have no logging requirements, and the sending of a card is merely an ego trip. Hams therefore consider QSL cards an integral part of the hobby, feel somewhat obliged to preserve old ones as the history of the hobby, and therefore there's greater demand for them. I myself have a few cards from the 1920s.

Some "shacks" have thousands of cards pinned up. Walt "Iron Man" Burdine, a ham I knew in the 1960s - his proudest possession was a QSL card from King Hussein of Jordan, who was an avid ham, on 2m and 6m several times a week.

You are correct doug2222

I used to be a CBer in the 1970s and we never had to keep a record of our contacts.

My most interesting time as a CBer was when I was trying to get a local on the radio and got a man in Ellerslie, PEI. I couldn't reach the local man but got PEI! At first I thought I was getting a 'snow job' as we used to call it, but to my great surprise it was original and we did exchange our CB cards with each other and that was our confirmation with each other.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Cjd - I'm not really sure I want to go off on that tangent right now, but you never know. Doug2222 - my recollection was that they were all US, but I will try to get back there and check them out.

zackenback,

No pressure...if they were pre-1940, I might've picked them up...post-1940, I'd probably have left them there, too. You can't collect everything.

Yes you can.

Just started a new collection this week - cut glass fly swatters.

That's me on the left, and that's Doug on the right.

Really, zachenback, it is okay to just say no.

C.

(Don't mean to imply that that's you in the middle.)

Doug 222,

The logging requirements changed a number of years ago, now no log is
required by the FCC, but still a good idea if one chases hamradio awards. The local contacts that we have now are normally not logged but anything of any DX (distance) or of personal interest is usually logged. Lots of facets to QSL cards, but the advent of computers/internet has changed the scene quite a bit.

As a youngster (started my hamradio in 1955) also doing stamp collecting the first thing I looked at when a card was received was the stamp. My best DX some years ago was Mongolia, and I have the stamp..

Both great hobbies.

73 (best regards)
Chuck
W9NWR